Ending Social Promotion in Middle School

We doubt sensible educators have ever thought social promotion was sound school policy – more often it's been about politics, economics and poorly focused instructional practice. This news story from the Des Moines Register recounts the city system's new determination to end the practice in the middle grades by "developing a uniform set of expectations for what students need to know to move through middle school and onto high school." But as one parent and former school board member notes, the policy will fail unless the district has interventions in place "to make sure kids get back on track." Otherwise, he said, "it can be a recipe for disaster."